Nightwish’s Floor Jansen and Former Singer Tarja Turunen Are “Sisters in Metal”

We had some good news last week when Nightwish singer Floor Jansen announced that she’s officially cancer free and the feel-good stories just keep on coming. In a recent interview with the Scars and Guitars podcast, ex-Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen, who left the band on bad terms in 2005, discussed her relationship with Jansen. Pleasantly, Turunen says the two have a caring and supportive relationship with one another (transcribed by Blabbermouth).

“We are in touch, and recently more, because she came up with the really horrible news of being sick. So I’ve been in touch with her. But ever since she joined Nightwish, I was there for her. So it’s, like, I don’t have any… Actually, I hope she’s fine and everything is great with her and she’s happy. That’s what I wish. Now and then when I am in Netherlands, if I have concerts in Netherlands, she’s poking by and so on and so on. It’s really, really nice.

“In general, hey, I feel in metal, we are sisters in metal — we all are like sisters in metal. We actually do support each other, all of us.

“When I started in metal, I felt a little lonely, because there were not too many girls around in the festivals I went; I was mainly the only girl all around. And nowadays it’s so incredible to see so many female vocalists. They approach me — if I do not recognize them, they approach me — they come and talk. And it’s really lovely. We have this really beautiful connection and a lot to share. And that is also… I really enjoy it so much nowadays. It has changed a lot.”

In addition to Turunen’s comments about how she has a positive relationship with Jansen, it’s heartening to hear that the number of women in metal bands has increased from when Nightwish started in 1996.